CENTRALIA — Centralia Police Chief Brian Atchison says officers have confirmed the sounds that appeared to be gunshots Friday were actually from a vehicle with mechanical problems.

Atchison says the department had received reports Friday morning from near the Burlington Northern Yards of what they were believed were gunshots and then later in the day they received similar reports from the area of Calumet at Locust, Pine, and near the old Centralia Football field.

The reports of possible gunfire at Pine and Calumet resulted in all students being rushed inside Centralia Junior High and the school placed on lock down for about seven-minutes until Centralia police gave the all-clear.

However, students were kept inside the rest of the day as an extra safety precaution.

At the time Centralia believed the sounds were not from gunfire but more likely from a malfunctioning vehicle.  A review of video from an area business confirmed the sounds came from a truck backfiring.

Atchison says the truck was located Saturday morning parked at a home on the city’s north-side. The driver was then located and received a warning to get the vehicle fixed or possibly face arrest.